


Rolling Stone

by Racey



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:20:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22280956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Racey/pseuds/Racey
Summary: Grimmjow is a bounty hunter, teamed up with his long-time partner and friend, Kenpachi. While on a bust, he meets the most intriguing man he's ever run across.
Relationships: Grimmjow Jaegerjaques/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 62





	Rolling Stone

**Author's Note:**

> Based loosely on one of my favorite manga/anime: Cowboy Bebop.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

**Somewhere near Mars**

**Year 2083**

Someone obviously wanted to die. It was _obvious_ because they were shining an obscenely bright light at his face while he was trying to snooze. His partners knew not to intrude on his one-on-one time with the couch, so whatever they wanted was either very important, or – like he said before – they wanted to die.

He did the proper thing first and grumbled, waving a hand in the direction of the light. He didn't bother opening his eyes, hoping whoever was fucking around with him would get the picture. Unfortunately for them, they didn't. He heard a snicker, a couple of clicks, and suddenly, the light intensified. Motherfuckers. He snarled and rolled onto his side, a wayward spring digging into his ribs painfully. The balance had been interrupted, causing the couch to protest his presence, which normally, it didn't. He and the ancient piece of furniture had come to an agreement, but since he'd moved the wrong way and upset the natural order of things... He finally sat up and covered his face with his hands, teeth bared angrily.

"What the fucking hell is wrong with this picture?" he growled.

A hysterical giggle echoed through the ship, piercing into his drowsy brain with all the precision and sharpness of a scalpel. The couch dipped drastically to his left, and thin arms encircled his neck.

"C'mon, Grimm-Grimm! Kenny says it's time fer ya ta wake up!"

The pink-haired kid hung from his side like she was scaling a wall. He pretended it drove him nuts, but really he didn't mind it. He'd never say that out loud, though. Yachiru was twelve and a certified computer genius. Hence, the reason they utilized her skill as a researcher. She was on the cusp of puberty, so her legs and arms were long and gangly, and people often mistook her for a boy. It didn't help that she wore a pair of black goggles over her large, dark-brown eyes.

"What if I don't wanna?" he grunted.

Yachiru's grin was blinding, as was her usual enthusiasm towards...well, everything. "Well, Kenny says yer gonna miss the new bounty they announced on TV."

"Is it in the millions?"

He was skeptical. "Kenny", or better known as Kenpachi Zaraki, Grimmjow's partner in bounty hunting, had a habit of taking even the cheapest bounties, just for the thrill of the chase. The man was uncommonly bloodthirsty and always itching to fight, which was perfectly fine on a good day, but since good days were rare, Kenpachi's personality cost more to keep it in line than it did to let it free. He and the hulking dark-haired man had been partners in the trade for a little over four years now. They had a routine, a comfortable set of rules, and a mutual fondness for money. It worked. The scent of bubblegum assaulted his nose as Yachiru let go another burst of giggles.

"Yup-yup!"

That brightened his mood. No longer as grumpy as he was upon first being brought back into the land of the conscious, Grimmjow climbed to his feet and slowly trudged to the opposite side of the room, where he descended to the lower level of the ship. Yachiru called it "Kenny's dungeon." It was pretty accurate too, truth be told. Weapons and restraints hung from the walls, and tools littered the floor. Broken machine parts lay amidst the tools, hapless victims of Kenpachi's tinkering obsession.

Grimmjow picked his way through the metal carnage and made his way over to his partner, who was hidden underneath a Terrain Explorer. They'd picked the clunky, yellow monstrosity up on Mars a couple weeks ago because Kenpachi had seen the abandoned vehicle and had immediately grown determined to bring it back to life. Of course, Grimmjow bitched and moaned about the damned thing cluttering the ship, but since Kenpachi was so willing to take responsibility for it, Grimmjow let the man have his toy.

"Yo," he called.

Metal clinking together was his only response for a few seconds before Kenpachi grunted, "Figured you'd be down here sooner rather than later."

"So, how much is it this time?"

A dark chuckle floated up from beneath the Explorer before Kenpachi's large frame was rolled completely into view. He greeted Grimmjow with a huge, shark-like grin, creasing the scar over his left eye.

"Fifty-million."

The hairs all over Grimmjow's body rose in anticipation as he answered his partner's grin with a wide one of his own. Fifty million was a lot – certainly nothing to sneeze at. He wondered who the perp was this time and what the hell they'd done to have such a hefty bounty hanging over their head. Kenpachi sat up on the ancient, Earth mechanic's creeper and dusted his hands on a beyond tarnished, green rag.

"OK, I'll bite," Grimmjow muttered, annoyed at the other man's knowing smile. "Who's the perp?"

Kenpachi stood and revealed all of his towering glory. "That idiot Nnoitra got his ass in hot water again."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips.

"How many times does this make?"

"'Bout ten? Maybe eleven. Can't be sure."

Kenpachi strolled a few feet away towards a work table and set down the dirty rag. He turned back to Grimmjow with a huge grin, teeth like the serrated edge of a knife. No words were needed. Grimmjow returned the grin and headed back to the steps. At the bottom, he cupped the side of his mouth and hollered up to Yachiru, who was no doubt waiting for his call.

"Oy! Set the navigation on the cruiser!"

A beat passed before Grimmjow heard, "'Kay, 'kay!" from above.

"It's yer turn ta do the dirty work, ya know," Kenpachi rumbled from the other side of the room.

Grimmjow pivoted and gave Kenpachi the evil eye. According to Grimmjow's calculations, it'd been Kenpachi's turn to do the boring investigation work three bounties ago. He opened his mouth to let his partner in on that fact, but decided against it. It wouldn't do any good, arguing with the other man. Besides, it would give Grimmjow a chance to browse the busy town of Kalorna on Mars. It was always Nnoitra's base of operations, so it was the perfect place to start sniffing out the repeat offender.

The bust was bound to be a frustrating one, since Nnoitra had a habit of leading bounty hunters by the nose. He had a fairly large group of supporters who made it difficult to find the dark-haired beanpole, but Grimmjow had long been hip to the man's game. Not to mention, they'd been partners in crime once upon a time, and Nnoitra had yet to change his ways. The man still sold high-end weapons on the black market, and he still hadn't gained the sense to keep his business quiet. He always managed to get caught.

Grimmjow ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"Fine. I'll go rustle up his location, but K," he paused and gave Kenpachi a stern glare. "That means ya gotta be there when I call ya for backup. No excuses. Alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ya jus' tell me where the guy's hidin', and I'll come help ya grab 'im."

Grimmjow leaned against the staircase railing and shot Kenpachi a wolfish grin. "I mean, I don't really need the help. I'm jus' in a generous-like mood."

Kenpachi threw an empty aerosol can at Grimmjow's head, but Grimmjow was already halfway up the stairs.

"Jus' find the guy! I been itchin' ta get off this ship fer a while."

"You could always do the shopping with Yachi-"

"Fuck off, Grimm!"

Grimmjow cackled his way onto the upper level of the ship. Kenpachi _hated_ doing the shopping with Yachiru because the kid could talk a mute into a full-blown, cursing rage. Which always left the task to Grimmjow. He snorted as he strode towards the docking deck for the ship's cruiser, _Soar_. Kenpachi was up to his neck in favors that he owed to Grimmjow, and Grimmjow couldn't wait to start collecting.

Yachiru's head of pink hair popped up from the cockpit of _Soar_ , her face creased into a wide, carefree grin that slitted her huge eyes into joyful little arcs.

"Grimm-Grimm! _Soar-Soar_ 's ready!"

"Good," he said. "Ya programmed it for Kalorna, right?"

"Sure-sure!"

"Alright, kid. Get outta there so I can load up an' get goin'."

Yachiru's happy chirping was tuned out as Grimmjow thumped up the metal stairs that led to _Soar_ 's entrance. He wasn't really looking forward to luring Nnoitra from hiding, but the prospect of leaving the ship and stretching his legs was an exciting one.

**XxxxxxxX**

"Here's your beer, Sir," the quiet bartender said as he set a large, handled glass on the long counter. "Draft, just like you asked."

"Thanks, Starrk."

"No problem."

Grimmjow glanced around the bar as he took a careful sip. As he swallowed the cold drink, he lowered the glass and licked foam from his upper lip. The place was still fairly crowded even though it was midday. People of all sorts were littered about, sitting at tables or at the bar. None of them were Nnoitra, however. Grimmjow sighed and glanced down at the watch on his left wrist. It was still early, so he settled in to wait. _The Tumbleweed_ was the tall criminal's favorite haunt, so it made sense that he would show up sooner or later; all Grimmjow had to do was wait.

The doors to the bar squeaked open, but Grimmjow didn't allow himself to turn his head to find out who the newcomer was. He waited until the doors closed and the figure moved inside the building to finally take a peek from the corner of his eye. It was a tall, green-haired woman. She had a shape on her that could make a grown man cry, and her face was just as beautiful. Her eyes were big and a brownish-gray, and her smile was just as large. She took a seat at a table located at the back of the bar before setting her purse in front of her. She was alone, but her expression indicated that she was waiting for someone. This was good. In fact, this was downright excellent. The woman just happened to be Neliel Tu Odershvank: Nnoitra's on-again, off-again lover and partner in crime. She'd been keeping a fairly low profile, and this was the first time Grimmjow had seen her in almost a year.

He grinned and focused on his glass of beer as he took another sip. Maybe this job wouldn't be as difficult as he'd first thought. As he sat musing and wondering when Nnoitra would show his face, the door to the bar squealed open again. Like the last time, Grimmjow waited until the newcomer entered the bar to take a look. The figure was a young man, but not the man Grimmjow was looking for. The young man sauntered over to the seat beside Grimmjow at the bar, which gave Grimmjow a chance to take a closer look at him. The first thing Grimmjow noticed was the hair. It was an intense, atomic orange and a little messy as it covered his left eye. Speaking of his eyes, they were hooded and brown: the kind of brown that reflected from a glass of whiskey on the rocks. He was of average height – around 5'11" - and his body was slim, but toned. He was wearing a simple, white, short-sleeved, v-neck tee and light-blue jeans that were ripped at the knees and a little across the thighs. His sneakers were black and white Chucks that were dusty and worn, and on his back rested a large, Earth acoustic guitar case. The man slid into the seat next to Grimmjow and met the eyes of the bartender, Starrk.

"What'll it be, kid?" Starrk greeted as he wiped his hands with a white rag.

"I'll have a Nocturnal Nasty."

Grimmjow frowned at the man's choice of drink. A Nocturnal Nasty was a tall Guinness mixed with a shot of brandy. Why in the world was the guy drinking so heavily at this time of day? Starrk must have been thinking the same thing because his dark eyebrows rose as he turned to fix the man's drink. Grimmjow's curiosity got the best of him the longer he sat and peered at the orange-haired man. Finally, he turned and opened his mouth to ask the guy what was up, but was frozen in his tracks when his eyes locked with sultry brown.

"You have beautiful eyes," the man said quietly.

His stare was incredibly powerful and seemed to keep Grimmjow rooted to his seat, unable to speak or breathe. It was such an intense feeling – one Grimmjow had never run across before. His heart started beating frantically as his grip on his glass tightened.

"Do you sing?" the man continued.

"N-no," Grimmjow replied, at long last able to find his voice. "Do you?"

The man paused before a smile transformed his features from handsome to absolutely gorgeous. Grimmjow was entranced. The man was like an angel. A casually dressed, tanned, guitar-toting angel. His skin was bronzed from the sun, and across his nose danced a cluster of brown freckles.

"Sometimes. I guess when I'm in the mood."

"Oh."

Their strange conversation came to a lull as Starrk set the man's drink in front of him. The man smiled his thanks before he took a long sip. Afterward, he licked his full lips and turned back to Grimmjow, that ethereal smile back in place.

"What do they call you?" he asked. His voice was a sexy, bedroom husk that had Grimmjow shifting in his seat.

"Grimmjow. Grimmjow Jaegerjaques."

He had no clue why he'd told the man his real name, but for some reason, he'd felt a powerful urge to share the truth. It was almost like he _couldn't_ lie.

"What's your name?"

"Ichigo."

"Ichigo, huh? Just Ichigo?"

"Yes. I don't remember my last name."

Well, that was odd. Grimmjow had never encountered someone who couldn't recall their own last name. He turned his body in Ichigo's direction and studied him carefully. There was something extremely mysterious about the orange-haired man that intrigued Grimmjow. It created this incessant need to know more about him.

"Where are you from?"

"I don't remember that either. I don't know how old I am, where I came from, or if I even have a family. I only know where I'm going."

"And where's that?"

"Earth. I'm looking for a man named Kurosaki. Isshin Kurosaki."

The name was familiar, as though Grimmjow recognized it, but couldn't put a face to it. Maybe if he got more information, he would be able to help this amazing creature with his plight.

"Why are you looking for him?"

Ichigo took another drink before answering. "When I woke up one morning, I couldn't remember a thing. I was in a motel room here in Kalorna, and when I went to leave, a woman at the desk gave me a note from this Isshin Kurosaki. He claimed he knew the answers to my questions and that I'd be able to find him on Earth."

"That's a weird story, Ichigo."

Ichigo's eyes went round and his lips parted as he stared at Grimmjow in awe. Grimmjow gave a slight frown. Had he said something wrong?

"Say it again."

"Excuse me?" Grimmjow asked, more than a little confused.

"Say it again."

"Uh...say what again?"

"My name. I like the way you say it. Are you sure you don't sing? You have a singing voice."

"No, I'm pretty positive that I don't sing...Ichigo."

Ichigo grinned again and scooted his seat closer to Grimmjow. "You said your name is Grimmjow, right?"

"Yep, that's me."

"Why are you here, Grimmjow? You don't look like you're from around these parts."

"Well...technically, I'm not."

"Soooo...," Ichigo encouraged.

Grimmjow chuckled before taking a sip from his own drink. "So," he started. "I'm here on business. That's all I can really say without getting you involved."

"Is that right? I guess everyone has a secret or two."

"I suppose so. What's yours?"

"Tut-tut, Grimmjow. I can't tell you mine if you don't tell me yours."

"Fair enough. I'm a bounty hunter, and I'm here looking for a perp."

Ichigo's eyebrows flew up as he gave Grimmjow a look of pure shock. " _That's_ where the power is coming from."

Power?

"What?" Grimmjow asked. Now he was confused again.

"Strength. Power. It's pouring out of you."

Grimmjow didn't know what to say to that, but he was flattered. To think that such a beautiful person was paying him yet another compliment. Grimmjow chuckled again.

"I don't understand you, Ichigo."

Ichigo nodded, his expression sobering. "No one does. But that's OK. I'm used to it now."

Had he made him sad? Grimmjow didn't like the idea of tarnishing Ichigo's seemingly pure personality. But how could he make it up to him?

"I...I hope I didn't offend you or anything..."

Ichigo didn't answer. He seemed like he was daydreaming about something, his gaze unfocused and glassy. For long moments they sat that way, until Grimmjow remembered he had a job to do. He glanced over his shoulder at Neliel and smirked when he noticed a man seated across from her with his back to Grimmjow. The man was clearly tall, but his hair was hidden beneath a black, cable-knit hat. His eyes were disguised by a pair of dark shades, and he wore a gray hooded sweatshirt. Grimmjow watched for a little longer before reaching into the pocket of his leather jacket and withdrawing his communication earpiece. He connected it to his right ear and tapped the power button.

"K, you there?" he tried.

After a couple of beats, Kenpachi's rough voice came through. "Yo, I'm here. What's up?"

"I found him."

"Already? Damn, that was fast. Where'd you spot him?"

" _The Tumbleweed_."

"Figures. Alright, me an' the kid're loadin' up now. Be there in a few. Keep 'im busy."

"Will do. Hurry up, K."

"Keep yer panties on. I'm comin'."

Grimmjow chuckled as he ended the conversation. He didn't remove the earpiece as he went back to his drink. He was in the middle of plotting how he and Kenpachi would take down Nnoitra this time, when a hand on his arm startled him out of his thoughts. He turned to his new acquaintance with a raised eyebrow. He'd completely forgotten about Ichigo for a second. Ichigo's eyes were imploring and downright breathtaking as the two locked gazes.

"Will you do me a favor, Grimmjow?" Caught utterly off guard, all Grimmjow could do was nod. "Will you let me sing for you?"

Things just kept getting more and more odd by the minute. He didn't know what to make of the orange-haired man at his side, but he would be lying if he didn't say he was thoroughly engrossed.

"What, now?"

Ichigo turned in his seat and gave the bar a quick once-over. "No. Not now. Not here."

"Well-"

"We can go to my room. It's not far from here."

Grimmjow was stuck. He was so completely perplexed that it was disturbing. Ichigo was virtually a stranger, even though they had introduced themselves to one another and had engaged in conversation. The fact still remained, however, that Grimmjow knew nothing about Ichigo – aside from Ichigo remembering nothing about himself except his first name. Not only that, but Grimmjow had a job to do. He couldn't just up and leave his obligations behind. Kenpachi would kill him.

"I-I, uh...I can't." Ichigo's expression was immediately crestfallen, and it crushed Grimmjow, so he tried to amend the situation. "Right now," he added slowly. "I have to finish up here first."

Ichigo's eyes lit with hope as he looked around the bar. "So, your perp is here? Right now?"

"Yes. He's over at the table towards the back with the green-haired lady."

"Oh. Well, what are you gonna do?"

"I'm waiting for my partner to get here so we can apprehend the guy and take him to the Mars police. After that, we'll get our bounty."

"I see. So you just need someone to stall him, then?"

Grimmjow frowned, not sure what Ichigo planned to do, but not willing to bring attention to himself either. He reached out a little too late as Ichigo climbed to his feet and moved towards the middle of the bar.

"Shit!" he hissed under his breath.

Ichigo glided into the center of the crowd of tables, dragging a chair with him. Once there, he stopped and lifted both hands into the air.

"Can I have your attention, please?" he called out over the noise. "Everyone, if you'd just look here for a moment!"

Heads gradually turned in Ichigo's direction, some faces filled with curiosity, some with amusement and others with irritation. When the bar quieted down, Ichigo pulled his guitar case from his back and sat down. He placed the case across his legs and carefully opened it, his fingers undoing the locks as if they were precious to him. The acoustic guitar inside was a masterpiece. It was royal blue towards the middle of the instrument, but bled to black as it reached the edges. The long handle was a shiny black as well, and the colors seemed to suit Ichigo's personality perfectly.

"I have a song I'd like to share with you good people, if you don't mind. I rarely get the urge to do this, so would you bear with me? That OK?"

The crowd murmured a positive response as Ichigo lay his guitar case on the floor next to his feet. Ichigo's resulting grin was charming and engaging. Even Nnoitra had turned in his seat to see what was going on.

"Thanks! I promise I'll try not to put you guys to sleep."

He fiddled with the tuning knobs a bit before strumming the strings a few times. After that, he looked up at the crowd and flashed that warming grin at them again.

"I call this one 'Blue Eyes.' I hope you like it."

Grimmjow instantly sat forward in his seat, his gut twisting with something that he couldn't put a name to. Was it merely coincidence that Ichigo planned to sing a song about blue eyes? It had to be. There was no way Ichigo could have come up with an entire melody, including lyrics, just after seeing Grimmjow's eyes. Maybe Ichigo had met someone else with blue eyes and felt like it would fit the mood. Grimmjow didn't know, but he was certainly interested in finding out.

Ichigo cleared his throat and began letting his fingers roam over the guitar strings, creating a mellow tune that had Grimmjow tilting his head. When Ichigo's voice floated throughout the room, Grimmjow's breath caught in his throat. He had a voice that was hauntingly stunning.

" _Wish enough, wise man'll tell you a lie, window broke, torn up screens, who'd have thought that you'd dream, of a single tragic scene?_ " Ichigo sang with his eyes closed. " _I just wanna sing a song with you, I just want to take it off of you, 'cause Blue Eyes, you are all that I need, cause Blue Eyes, you're the sweet to my mean_."

Grimmjow shifted in his seat again, careful not to draw Nnoitra's attention. The tall criminal was facing Ichigo and could easily see Grimmjow's position if he wanted to. Yet, Grimmjow couldn't keep his eyes off of the orange-haired man in the middle of the bar, singing with such a beautiful voice. His playing was perfect – something Grimmjow had only ever heard on old Earth radio stations. He was practically hypnotized as he continued to watch Ichigo sing.

" _'Fess it up, dot on the palm of your hand. I can help you to stand, saved it up for this dance, tell me all the things you can. I just wanna sing a song with you, I just wanna be the one that's true, 'cause Blue Eyes, you're the secret I keep, 'cause Blue Eyes."_

Grimmjow forced himself to drag his eyes away from the enchanting image Ichigo made. He glanced around the bar, noting with a faint grin how most of the patrons nodded along to the melody Ichigo created. If they weren't nodding, they were watching, just as fascinated as Grimmjow had been. Even the hardened Nnoitra couldn't seem to take his eyes off of the orange-haired young man.

" _All the lights on and you are alive, but you can't point the way to your heart. So sublime, when the stars are aligned, but you don't know, you don't know the greatness you are. 'Cause Blue Eyes, you are destiny's scene, 'cause Blue Eyes, I just wanna be the one. I just wanna sing a song with you, I just wanna get it on with you. 'Cause Blue Eyes, you're the secret I keep, 'cause Blue Eyes, I just wanna sing a song with you, I just wanna sing a song with you, I just wanna sing a song with you..."_

Ichigo finished the song, the words and last notes from the guitar echoing hauntingly throughout the bar. The young man opened his eyes and looked around the room almost shyly. Grimmjow wanted to be the first to applaud and climb to his feet, rewarding Ichigo's outstanding performance, but he knew it would blow his cover. All he could do was look around in earnest, hoping someone – _anyone_ – would congratulate Ichigo on such an awesome song. Finally, Neliel stood and began clapping, tears clinging to her abundant eyelashes.

"That was so beautiful!" she hiccuped.

Nnoitra grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down to her seat with a grunt and a scowl, probably pissed that she'd called attention their way. Grimmjow felt pride swell in his chest for some reason as the rest of the bar's patrons followed Neliel's lead. His eyes went back to Ichigo, and he grinned as he witnessed the younger man being overwhelmed with praise. Ichigo had a hand to the back of his head as he smiled and waved away the enthusiastic people. How could such a magnificent creature with such astonishing talent be so modest? Grimmjow knew if he possessed talents of Ichigo's caliber, he would be incredibly arrogant.

After about fifteen minutes, Ichigo made his way back to the seat beside Grimmjow. Grimmjow hated to seem rude and standoffish, but he couldn't afford to have his cover blown. He glanced around over his shoulders, eyes surreptitious. When he didn't spot any focuses aimed his way, he turned to Ichigo a little more comfortably. Ichigo repositioned his guitar case before facing Grimmjow with a bright grin.

"Did you like my song?" he asked.

Grimmjow was absolutely blown away. Ichigo's smile, his voice, his stunning brown eyes: they were all likely to make Grimmjow crazy. He wanted to lift a hand and trace the line of Ichigo's jaw. He wanted to pass a hand through Ichigo's bright orange hair, maybe tease the strands some just to see if it really felt like feathers.

Ichigo tilted his head, and that was the only reason Grimmjow was able to shake himself from his wayward thoughts. He sighed with disappointment. He'd known since a very early age that he held more attraction for his own gender than he did for the opposite one. He'd known that and had even acted on it on numerous occasions. Yet, his attraction had never affected him quite the way it was now. He'd never wanted so badly to hold another man – kiss another man, touch another man – in his life. What was it about this dazzling young man that had his hormones reacting like he was a pregnant woman?

"I loved it," he answered honestly.

Ichigo's angelic grin spread, his brown eyes creasing shut. "I'm glad. I was singing for you. You know, killing two birds with one stone? Since you're working, I figured you wouldn't mind the short break. At least you wouldn't have to leave, right?" Ichigo chuckled and brought a hand to the back of his head. "And I'm talking way too much, aren't I?"

Grimmjow couldn't hide his grin if he wanted to. "Not at all. I like hearing you talk."

 _OK, that's enough of that, mouth. You're getting a little carried away_.

He had to scold himself for being too honest with the other man. However, after seeing Ichigo blush just a fraction that barely covered the bridge of his nose, he was strongly reconsidering his inward telling-off.

"I can see in your aura that you're telling me the truth, Grimmjow. Thank you. Not many people are as kind as you are."

Grimmjow didn't know about that. In fact, that could probably be the only time he'd heard words of that manner aimed in his direction. He was usually called a bastard or a lunatic. Although, he really wasn't that crazy about the last one. And then, Ichigo's words seemed to even further permeate his mind. He saw it in Grimmjow's aura? What did that mean? And it wasn't the first time Ichigo had phrased a statement in such an odd way.

"My aura?" Grimmjow asked, his head listing to the side.

Ichigo flattened his lips and studied the bar top. He ran the tips of his fingers over the rough wood, his mouth opening and closing. Finally, he turned back to Grimmjow and sighed heavily.

"I'm...I can see things from people that most can't. I don't know what it is, but I call it an aura. It's like a layer of something that changes with the person's moods and thoughts."

"What does it look like?"

"It's..." Ichigo paused as he seemed to struggle for a certain word or phrase. "It's like _colors_. A cloud of colors. Sometimes it's blue, sometimes it's orange, other times it's red. That's usually when someone's thinking evil or malicious thoughts," he finished with a small frown and a light shudder.

Grimmjow was beyond curious. "What color is mine?"

Ichigo smiled after sipping from his glass. "It's the same blue as your eyes."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you're calm. Very mellow and relaxed. It makes it easy for me to talk to you."

"Hmm," Grimmjow hummed, deep in thought. He didn't remember being very relaxed when Ichigo had first arrived. He'd been antsy and anxious, ready to spot Nnoitra and get his job done. "How about when you first got here?"

"Black."

"Is that bad?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No. I can understand your restlessness due to your job. Otherwise, I would have been more hesitant to speak to you."

"That must be really helpful for you."

"It can be. Other times, it's depressing. Imagine being able to determine each emotion a person emits. Now, imagine it happening with someone you like," Ichigo said sadly.

Grimmjow wanted to hug the younger man. He wanted to erase that look of despair that was weighing down Ichigo's handsome face. Where such thoughts and reactions were stemming from had Grimmjow at a loss. But honestly, he didn't care. Something about Ichigo made Grimmjow want to take care of him.

"I can see how that might be a bit disheartening. But doesn't it get...I dunno...lonely?" Grimmjow asked, brows pulled together.

Ichigo shrugged with a sorrowful smile. "It is, but I'm used to it."

Grimmjow wanted to argue that there was no reason that Ichigo should be lonely, but what could he say to the other man as encouragement? As reassurance? Nothing. There was only one thing he _could_ think of.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo."

Ichigo's laughter was musical, just like his singing voice. Grimmjow watched him, gaze raptly devouring the ethereal face and eyes.

"It isn't your fault. There's no need to apologize."

"I know that, but-"

A sudden commotion on the other side of the room interrupted what Grimmjow had been about to say. He glanced over his shoulder, and his eyes went round. Nnoitra was arguing with a man that Grimmjow had never seen before, and Neliel was standing between them, trying to diffuse the situation.

"No! Move this bitch before I put my hands on her! I want my fuckin' money back Jiruga, you snake! You sold me a crate of jokes! What the fuck am I s'posed ta do with fifty guns that don't fuckin' work?!"

"You're making a scene," Neliel said sternly, wheat-gray eyes turning to steel. "We can discuss this somewhere else."

"We?! What we?! Who the fuck are you? I dealt with Jiruga the first time, so that's who I'm gonna deal with now!" the man roared as he shoved Neliel aside.

Grimmjow winced. _Big mistake_ , he inwardly sang. Neliel didn't move far from the push, instead using the momentum to propel herself towards the man, her fist shooting forward and crashing perfectly into the man's nose. Afterward, the man crumpled to the floor, clutching his nose and howling. Neliel straightened her shirt and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"Men should never put their hands on a lady," she "humph'ed."

Nnoitra grabbed her upper arm and snarled, "See? This is all yer fuckin' fault, Nel. If ya never woulda got up and cheered fer that kid, this asshole wouldna brought his ass over here, tryna cause trouble."

"Nnoi, I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself!"

"Let's get outta here 'fore someone else gets the urge ta call me out."

Grimmjow panicked. Where the fuck was Kenpachi? Nnoitra was about to leave, and there was no way in hell Grimmjow could follow the prick without being spotted. Not only that, but with Neliel's presence, he would definitely need backup. He reached up to the earpiece in his ear and hit the communication button.

"K!" he hissed, eyes still locked on Nnoitra's moving body. "K!"

"Yeah, yeah! What the hell's yer problem?"

"He's ghosting! And he caused a scene, so I can't follow without being caught! Where the hell are you?"

"We're here! We're landing the CAT now! Don't let 'im get away, Grimm!"

"Fuck!" Grimmjow swore as he hurried out of his seat.

Before he could head in Nnoitra's direction, however, Ichigo was already in front of the man, his focus all for the green-haired woman at Nnoitra's side.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Miss, but I just wanted to thank you for being the first to applaud for me earlier."

The hair on the back of Grimmjow's neck prickled as his stomach dropped to his feet. What the fuck was Ichigo doing? He headed towards the small group, panic filling him up and making his heart pound. Nnoitra was a dangerous asshole, and he didn't know if Ichigo was strong enough to take him on his own.

"Oh, i-it was no problem. I just-" Neliel started, eyes wide and demeanor obviously flustered.

"Shut up, woman! We don' have time fer this!" Nnoitra hissed as he tugged harshly on Neliel's arm.

She winced, but allowed him to pull her a few steps forward. Ichigo sidestepped into their path, his hand up as he glared at the taller man.

"There's no reason to treat a woman like that, Sir," he snapped, normally warm voice dropping into something low and threatening.

This was bad. Nnoitra's expression darkened as he frowned down at Ichigo.

"An' who 'er you ta tell me what I can and can't do with _my_ woman?"

"Just a concerned citizen, Sir."

"Heh. Concerned citizen, my ass! Ya want a go at my old lady?"

This had gone far enough. Grimmjow hoped Kenpachi would hurry his ass up because he felt forced to step in before something drastic occurred.

"Alright, Nnoitra," he growled from behind the tall criminal. He produced the gun he kept hidden at his waist and pointed it in Nnoitra's direction. The people of the bar had gone quiet a while ago, but at the sight of Grimmjow's gun, they started murmuring and becoming unsettled. Grimmjow ignored them. "Let's not make this any worse than it already is, huh?"

Nnoitra whirled around, hand still tightly glued to Neliel's wrist. When he spotted Grimmjow, he sneered, upper lip curling back.

"Well, if it ain't my old buddy, Grimm. How's it goin', pal?"

Grimmjow released the safety on his weapon and steadied his aim. Nnoitra let go of Neliel's arm and held both hands up, a devilish smirk turning his wide mouth upward.

"Whoa there. Let's not be hasty now. How 'bout we talk 'bout this somewhere else, eh?"

"Hell, no. I know you, remember?"

"Grimmjow, be careful," Ichigo warned as he leaned into view from behind Nnoitra. "His aura is stormy. Black and red – that's not a good mix."

Grimmjow opened his mouth to reassure the younger man, but before he could, Nnoitra's arm whipped around, backhanding Ichigo across the face hard enough to make the younger man stumble back into the wall. Grimmjow saw red. He'd never known rage as strong as what coursed through his blood at the moment. It was like his soul came alive with it. Every muscle he possessed tensed with anger as he glared at the grinning dark-haired giant.

"Some folks just don't know when ta shut the fuck up, huh, babe?" Nnoitra gloated to Neliel.

Ichigo had a hand over his jaw, still blinking away the cobwebs from the unexpected attack, most likely. He straightened up against the wall, but immediately after he did so, his knees buckled, and he slid a few centimeters down before righting himself again. Grimmjow wanted to kill Nnoitra, never mind apprehend him. The asshole had no right touching such a pure being with anything less than reverence. He stalked forward, gun still cocked and aimed.

"Don't you know I could kill you right now?"

Nnoitra sneered again, his violet eye sparkling with ill intent. "You would _not_. You know you always left the dirty work up to me and Kenpachi."

That stung. Anyone that had been close to Grimmjow at one point or another knew that he loathed guns. His parents had been killed before his very eyes when he was only a boy, so the weapons had always frightened him. However, as he'd grown older and seen more, guns merely left him with an uncomfortable feeling in his gut. He hated handling them, and most times, only used them to intimidate the harder criminals he and Kenpachi pursued.

He was so livid, acid seemed to crawl up his throat and choke off his air supply. He tightened his free hand into a fist and, without thinking, tossed his gun aside and lunged at the taller man. Nnoitra grinned like the Cheshire cat as he tried to wrap his arms around Grimmjow's upper body. Grimmjow dodged the man's long arms and delivered what should have been a crippling blow to the man's abdomen. Nnoitra grunted, but still came at him for more. A hard fist crashed into Grimmjow's jaw, almost sending him sprawling to the floor. Fortunately for him, a nearby table got in the way and helped him regain his balance. Before he could fully recover from Nnoitra's punch, the man was on him again with a sharp elbow to his head. Grimmjow hit the ground like a brick. The last thing he remembered seeing was Kenpachi crashing into the bar, yelling as he tackled Nnoitra, and Ichigo's concerned face as he stumbled his way over to Grimmjow's fallen form.

**XxxxxxxX**

Grimmjow worked his jaw back and forth, wincing at the dull ache. There was something cold pressed to his left temple that kept giving him the urge to urinate. He tried to sit up and realized that that was a very bad idea the moment he moved his head. He had a headache the size of a small country, the pain stabbing into his temple like an icepick. He raised his hand, but before it got to his wound, the cold at his temple disappeared and a gentle hand enclosed his.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you."

_Ichigo!_

Grimmjow's eyes flew open, despite the harsh glare of the ship's infirmary lights. When the blur subsided, he focused on the warm brown eyes hovering over him. Ichigo smiled down at him.

"You had me worried for a minute there," he continued, his free hand lightly brushing the left side of Grimmjow's face.

Grimmjow wanted to lean into the man's touch, but he had a few questions that needed to be answered first.

"What are you doing here?" he croaked.

His throat was dry as sandpaper and scratched just as badly.

Ichigo shifted nervously, but maintained eye contact. "Your friend arrived just in time. He wrestled with that man and got him in cuffs, while I checked on you to make sure you were OK. You were unconscious," he ended with a small frown.

Grimmjow starting recalling the scene that had caused him to lose consciousness and scowled at Ichigo.

"That was stupid," he growled.

"I know! I detest violence, but I don't think you should have thrown your gun away like that. I still-"

"No, Ichigo. I meant _you_. Why'd you go up to him like that? He could've really hurt you."

Ichigo lowered his eyes to the white blanket covering Grimmjow's stomach and toyed with his fingers as he shrugged. "I wanted to help you. You were so nice to me, I felt like I had to do _something_."

"I was fine without your help," Grimmjow grumbled, unknowingly hurting the orange-haired man's feelings.

Ichigo winced and continued to avert his gaze. Grimmjow closed his eyes and took a deep breath. That still didn't answer the question of why Ichigo was there on the ship. And it was clearly their ship. He thought about all the things that could have happened to explain Ichigo's presence, but nothing made sense.

"You still didn't answer my question," he reminded the younger man.

Ichigo peered at him from the corner of his whiskey-colored eye. "I wanted to be here. I had to make sure you were OK."

"Why?"

He didn't know Ichigo. Granted, he thought the man was as close to an angel as humans could get, but the fact still remained that he didn't know him. Not only that, but the situation was vice versa as well. Ichigo didn't know him, either, so why did he feel so obligated to worry about Grimmjow's well-being?

"Because," Ichigo whispered before hesitantly clearing his throat. "...Your aura."

"What about it?"

"I like it. I've never been pulled into someone's aura the way I am with yours."

Unbelievable. Ichigo talked about him and his aura like Grimmjow was some type of saint, when in all reality, he was far from one. He'd done so much fucked up shit in his past, he'd probably come back in his next life as a fly or a cockroach.

"I don't get it. There's nothin' special about me, Ichigo." Ichigo looked like he was ready to protest, so Grimmjow hurried on. "Anyway, I'm fine now. See?"

He carefully sat up, his temple throbbing like a pulse the whole time. He wanted to pat himself on the back for hiding his discomfort so well. Ichigo watched him like a hawk, brown eyes narrowed onto Grimmjow's face.

"Your aura is greenish-red, which means you're in pain. Clearly _not_ fine," Ichigo snapped as he rose to his feet. "And I _don't_ like being lied to."

With that, the younger man walked stiffly to the infirmary door and exited the room without a look back. Grimmjow sucked his teeth and cursed under his breath. That hadn't gone well at all. He should've remembered that Ichigo could determine his emotions by that aura thing he had going on.

 _Dammit all_.

Grimmjow reached up and went to touch his temple, but his fingers came into contact with soft gauze. So, he'd been bleeding too? That had to be ugly. Head wounds always produced a lot of blood. He sat back against the pillows on the bed and sighed. He still had a bunch of unanswered questions about Ichigo, about the bounty, and about his injuries. Too bad he'd offended one of his sources.

As soon as he closed his eyes and made himself comfortable on the bed, the infirmary door slowly opened. A pink head popped around the side of it, large eyes peering in at him.

"What's up, 'Ru?" he called, his voice still a little hoarse.

Yachiru bounded inside and leaped onto the bed. She almost threw herself at Grimmjow's chest, but he held up his hands to ward her off. She seemed to get the picture because she backed down some. Not a lot, but enough not to cause immediate alarm.

"How are you, Grimm-Grimm?" she chirped, her voice more subdued than usual. "You had us plenty worried, yup!"

Grimmjow grinned and ran a hand through her pink bangs. "I'm fine, kid. Just a little bump on the head. Nothin' to get worked up about."

"You sure-sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure-sure. Where's K?"

"Kenny is with Ich-Ich in the kitchen."

"Ich-Ich?"

"Yeah, the bright hair! The bright hair!"

"OK, OK, calm down," Grimmjow said, completely amused.

It appeared as though Yachiru had also taken a liking to Ichigo because she'd given him one of her infamous nicknames. Grimmjow shook his head and leaned back against the pillows once more. The throbbing at his temple was slowing, but the pain was still there, as was the pain in his jaw. The pain in his jaw was more bearable, though. _Nnoitra always did hit like a bitch_ , he thought with glee. Except when it came to those pointy elbows and knees of his.

A knock at the infirmary door drew his attention. Kenpachi loomed in the doorway, his bulky frame taking up all the space available. The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow at the sight of Yachiru damned near in Grimmjow's lap, but smirked nonetheless.

"I see the dead has arisen," he rumbled as he entered the room. "Can't believe you let that skinny fuck kick your ass like this."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "He got in a lucky shot, that's all."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Grimmjow sat up again and gave Kenpachi a weighty stare that spoke volumes. Kenpachi nodded and turned his attention to the pink-haired girl.

"Hey, Squirt, skedaddle. Me an' Grimm got somethin' ta talk about."

Yachiru pouted for a fraction of a second before she bounded off the bed. "I wonder what Ich-Ich is doing!"

When she disappeared behind the door, Kenpachi faced Grimmjow and gave him a long stare. It made Grimmjow fidget. He hated when Kenpachi got that look in his eye because it usually meant he'd fucked up somewhere along the lines.

"Wh-" he started, but Kenpachi quickly cut him off.

"I'll go first," he said, voice a deep growl. No matter what the man said, his tone always had a frightening edge to it. "I get an urgent call from my partner, telling me that the perp is getting' away. I arrive on the scene, and the perp's cleaned my partner's clock and is about to make a run for it. I tackle the perp, tie 'im up, and cart 'im to the ship. Meanwhile, my partner is being hauled to the ship by some strange kid with orange hair so bright, it makes me squint. Luckily, the bust goes well. We get our money, but now I've got a guest on our ship that I don't know what the hell to do with. He's adamant about being at my partner's side, so I let him be, thinking maybe my partner would like to explain things once he woke up from his three-day vacation."

"Three days?!" Grimmjow shouted, almost choking on his saliva.

He'd been out for three whole days? How the fuck had that happened?

"Oh, but this gets better. Just wait," Kenpachi went on with a mischievous smirk. "This Ichigo kid doesn't remember a thing about himself except his name and where he's going, _and_ he can see emotional auras. So, Grimm, old partner of mine...what the actual fuck is goin' on, eh?"

Grimmjow sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, his headache coming back with a vengeance. He so didn't need this kind of trouble. How was he supposed to explain Ichigo to Kenpachi, when he didn't even know what to make of the guy himself?

"Look, K. I met the guy at the _Tumbleweed_ while I was scoping the place for Nnoitra. We had a weird conversation. Then, he sang for me. After that, we had another weird conversation, this one about the aura thing, and _that's_ when the shit hit the fan with the toothpick."

"Where the fuck was your gun?"

Grimmjow tensed and looked away. He certainly wasn't about to tell his bloodthirsty partner that he'd thrown it away.

"Christ, Grimm. I can't back ya up if yer not willin' ta try ta protect-"

"You know I don't like guns."

"...Yeah, I know," Kenpachi sighed as he lowered himself into the seat next to the bed.

There were a long few minutes of silence before Kenpachi sighed again and ran a hand through his long, dark hair.

"So, what're you gonna do about this kid? He's got a thing for you or somethin'?"

Grimmjow actually fought a real blush as he considered Kenpachi's words. _Did_ Ichigo have a thing for him? Sure, the man had told him that he liked his aura, but was that really all there was to it? He couldn't be sure. He shrugged his shoulders and closed his eyes.

"I don't know, K. Maybe. Who knows?"

Kenpachi snorted. "I think _you_ know. Maybe you should go talk to 'im. He looked mighty pissed a few minutes ago when he went in the kitchen. He told me you were awake, so I thought he'd be happy about that. What'd you do?"

"Hey! Why'd I have to be the one to do something?" Grimmjow argued petulantly.

"I don't see no one else in this room."

"Whatever, asshole."

"Yeah, ya definitely did somethin', or else ya wouldn't be so fuckin' defensive. When yer feelin' up to it, go talk to the kid. I already told him we'd take him ta Earth."

Grimmjow glanced at Kenpachi in shock. He had to twist the man's arm in order to get a favor out of him, and here he'd gone and offered to give a stranger a ride somewhere.

"Wow, Mother Theresa. I didn't know you could be so kind," he griped as he sat up again.

He eased his legs over the side of the bed and gingerly climbed to his feet. So far, so good. He put a hand on the bed to steady himself through the brief moment of vertigo he experienced, but after that, all he had to worry about was the dull throb at his temple and the abating soreness in his jaw. He glanced down at his naked torso and legs and frowned.

"Where're my clothes? I'm practically naked."

Kenpachi stood and gave him a wolfish grin. "I'll send yer little boyfriend down here with a spare set if you like?"

"Fuck you," Grimmjow grumbled as he made his way to the infirmary door. "I'll get it myself."

**XxxxxxxX**

The trip to his quarters hadn't been so bad, all things considered. He didn't feel like he wanted to kill himself to escape any pain, and he didn't feel like he was going to throw up because of his head wound. Once in his room, he showered and dried off quickly, then went to his tall dresser and pulled a black t-shirt and a pair of black, well-worn sweatpants out of the top drawer. He slipped into the garments and padded barefoot to the upper level of the ship, where Yachiru had informed him he could find Ichigo.

He'd removed the gauze around his head and changed the bandage on his temple. Now he felt a little better. He felt like he could approach Ichigo and handle anything the younger man threw at him. The upper level of the ship was like an atrium, the ceiling able to slide back and reveal a thick layer of glass that allowed the room's occupants to see the far-reaching sky of the universe. It was a beautiful sight at anytime, and not very surprising that Ichigo was taking advantage of it. He was seated in the middle of the room on the floor, his knees drawn up to his chest as he bathed in the light of the surrounding stars and moons. His eyes were pointed up, his lips parted and upturned just a bit in the corners. The sight reaffirmed Grimmjow's conviction of Ichigo being an angel.

He cleared his throat as he entered the room. He didn't want to frighten the other man. Ichigo slowly turned his head in Grimmjow's direction, but he didn't smile or speak. He just stared, obviously waiting.

"I, uh..." Grimmjow started, feeling like an absolute fool. "I wanted to apologize for earlier. I was a little short with you, but I didn't mean to be."

Ichigo stared for a few more moments, until his eyes lit up, and a smile finally spread across his lovely face.

"That was the truth," he said and gracefully stood. "And I forgive you. I understand you were just in pain."

"But I'm still curious, Ichigo," Grimmjow said as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, confusion clear in his tone. "Why did you do what you did back at the bar?"

"I told you-"

"Yeah, but you don't even know me. Why would you feel so obligated to help me?"

"Your aura-"

"Not that again," Grimmjow groaned as he rolled his eyes.

"It's true!" Ichigo snapped, his hands balling into fists at his sides. Before Grimmjow could respond, Ichigo stalked over to him and placed a mildly roughened hand on each side of Grimmjow's face. Grimmjow almost recoiled, but he was too trapped within Ichigo's intense gaze to move. "I can _see_ it. I can _feel_ it. And it makes me feel _safe_ ," he ended in a whisper.

Grimmjow held his breath. Ichigo's face was _so close_. And he smelled like a warm breeze mixed with a dark, yet sultry shampoo. Probably that stuff that had been in the bathroom for the longest that Kenpachi just couldn't bring himself to get rid of. Kenpachi's ex had used that shampoo and left a bottle in their bathroom for the times when she would spend the night. Grimmjow wanted to put his arms around Ichigo's slender waist and draw him closer. He wanted to make the gap between their faces disappear.

_Why?_

He didn't _know_ Ichigo. Where were these thoughts _coming_ from?

"I don't know what you want from me, Ichigo," he said quietly, trying not to break whatever spell was being cast between them. He lowered his head a little and pressed his brow to Ichigo's. Ichigo closed his eyes and made a small noise at the back of his throat that dangerously resembled a purr. "What is it you want?"

Ichigo smiled. "A real kiss."

Heat pooled in his groin as his breathing picked up. He was caught up in the moment, entranced by Ichigo's inviting scent and warm hands, so he didn't hesitate to do just as the orange-haired man asked. He gripped Ichigo's wrists, holding them in place as he pressed their lips together. Ichigo sighed and leaned into him, his hands turning until his fingers were cupping the back of Grimmjow's neck, and his thumbs were tracing Grimmjow's cheeks. Grimmjow hummed and lowered his hands from Ichigo's wrists to the shorter man's waist, where he pulled him as close as he could get. Then, he tentatively swept Ichigo's bottom lip with his tongue, just daring enough to see how Ichigo would react.

A surprised intake of breath was his response, but it left Ichigo's mouth deliciously open for the taking. Grimmjow allowed his tongue to dive deeply between the orange-haired man's lips. He angled his head to the side and failed at stifling the moan that crept its way out of his chest. Ichigo tasted delightful. It was a cross between the cinnamint toothpaste Yachiru liked to use and Ichigo's own delicate flavor. Grimmjow couldn't quite put a label to it, but it was more of a sensation than it was an actual taste. Like cool water against his tongue.

He growled a little and tried to fit their bodies closer together. Ichigo didn't help, either, with the way he slid his hands up into Grimmjow's mess of hair and gently massaged the scalp, a soft noise leaving him. Grimmjow didn't know what to make of it, but he liked it. He liked _everything_ about the seemingly innocent young man, which was exactly why he pulled out of the drugging kiss.

_What the hell am I doing?_

Ichigo met his eyes, panting as his chest heaved. "Wh-what? What's wrong? Did I mess up?"

_Did he mess up? Did he mess-_

"No, you did everything right. This just...I feel like I'm taking advantage of you or something," Grimmjow mumbled, trying to avoid the lusty brown eyes boring into him.

Ichigo chuckled and took a step back, creating even more distance between their bodies. Grimmjow didn't want that. In fact, his mind was screaming at him to pull Ichigo back into his arms, but his conscience kept interrupting. He pressed his lips into a thin line as he watched Ichigo slowly make his way back to the center of the room, where he stared up at the starry sky, his hair positively glowing. Grimmjow wasn't sure what he should do, so he just stood there, waiting for Ichigo's next move.

"Stay."

He frowned, not really sure he'd heard what he thought he had. Before he could question the younger man, Ichigo turned back to him, his face serene.

"Stay here with me tonight, Grimmjow."

"What?"

Ichigo's head listed to the side as he grinned and came back to stand in front of Grimmjow. Instead of speaking, however, he grabbed Grimmjow's wrist and led him to what Grimmjow assumed was the man's favorite spot in the room. Once there, Ichigo lowered himself to the floor and tugged Grimmjow down beside him. Grimmjow folded his legs underneath him, still confused, but so thoroughly intrigued by Ichigo, he was helpless to interfere.

They sat in silence for a while, Ichigo's brown eyes focused on the sky, but his hand on Grimmjow's thigh. Grimmjow slowly began to feel an otherworldly kind of peace settling over him. Was it his imagination? Or was it... He faced Ichigo with a small, curious frown, only to find the young man watching him in return. Ichigo smiled and turned back to the sky. Grimmjow was convinced. Either Ichigo was an angel, or he was damned close to it. Grimmjow made himself comfortable and watched stars shooting across an open universe with a man who had the potential to change his life. He slid a hand beneath the one Ichigo had on his thigh and smiled softly to himself. He could get used to being with Ichigo.

Next stop: Earth.

**Author's Note:**

> Song Ichigo sang: "Blue Eyes" by Cary Brothers


End file.
